The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 He is said to be the light of all lights, beyond the darkness of ignorance. He is knowledge, object of knowledge, and the goal of knowledge and is situated in the hearts of all. ||13-18|| [The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is explaining Himself and none else. This has to be firmly established in mind. The Supreme Lord is the source of all lights. He Himself is the form of light and from His luminance the Sun and Moon are receiving light. The material universe requires the light of the Sun, but the light of the Supreme Lord illuminates the Supreme abode forever. He is beyond the darkness of ignorance and is never devoid of light.] In this way, the Kshetra (body), knowledge, and the object of knowledge (God) have been briefly described: knowing this clearly in reality My devotee attains to My nature. ||13-19|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 430

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 [Now Lord Sri Krishna says ‘Me’ and ‘My’, that clearly means that the previously explained ‘He’ and ‘Lord’ are none other than Lord Sri Krishna Himself. He has explained Himself clearly and briefly, for nobody other than Him can explain Him. To understand the body, knowledge, and God is called as Vijnana (science). Such science and knowledge of the Supreme Lord when clearly understood through a proper teacher yields to the Lord’s absolute and ever blissful grace. To know this is the main objective of all beings and for this reason the human form of body is provided to go back to the Supreme abode. If this is realized then the life becomes sublime otherwise it remains only base and nothing else, just in dark ignorance.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 431

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 Know that Prakrti (material nature) and Purusha (soul) are both without any beginning and also know that all modifications and modes of nature have evolved from the Prakrti. ||13-20|| [Here Prakrti means the material nature and Purusha means the soul. The material nature and soul are beginning less (permanent). It must be known that the three modes of nature namely: goodness, passion, and ignorance and also their modifications are born from this material nature.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 432

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 Prakrti (material nature) is said to be responsible for bringing forth the evolutes, and the instruments; while the individual soul (Purusha) is said to be the cause for the experience of happiness and sorrow. ||13-21|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 433

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 [Here, the five subtle elements are: earth, fire, water, air, and ether. The five sense objects are: sound, colour, taste, touch, and smell. Totally these ten constitute the kaarya (evolutes). While the three psychic organs: intellect, mind, and ego and the five senses of feeling such as ear, eye, tongue, skin, nose, with the five organs of action: tongue, hand, feet, generative organ, and anus. Totally these thirteen constitute the karana (instruments). Bound by the three modes of nature, the soul is striving great hardships. It is experiencing pleasure and pain by residing in the 84,00,000 species of life. Some struggle hard and attain happiness while some others are struggling only in pain. One attains such pleasures and pains due to the previous actions. When the soul gets a body, due to its ego it is bound by the modes to strive in that body. For example, when one gets a body of a pig, it has to live in the gutter and it sometimes receives pleasure and sometimes pain. This is bondage and happens according to the laws of material nature. Bondage comes due to action. The soul has to live according to the body it has gained, be it of a human or of a demigod. But the Supreme Lord resides in everybody in the form of Paramatma and He remains uncontaminated from the modes of nature. He only remains as a witness to our activities in various bodies.] The soul being seated in the nature enjoys the modes born of such nature. The contact and attachment to the modes is the cause of its birth in good and evil species of life. ||13-22|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 434

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 [This verse tells us about the process by which the souls attain various bodies. When a soul is subjected to the rule of this material nature then due to the contact with its modes, it forgets its true identity and performs actions to accumulate sins and virtues, due to which it attains further different bodies. Thus the soul suffers on attaining various bodies in this material world and gets entangled in the cycle of birth and death. The soul is ever permanent and an ever-blissful part of the Lord. But due to its association with nature, it loses its true knowledge of such a real identity with God. The soul can attain the bliss by overcoming the modes of nature. Therefore intelligent persons do not waste their lives in aspiring and desiring for material objects. They always engage themselves in the faithful loving devotional service of the Lord. Even if they have any troubles it will be due to their past actions which yield results in this birth. But complete surrendering to the Lord washes away all sins and provides the path to return to our real place, the abode of Lord Sri Krishna.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 435

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 The soul although present in this body has no affinity with it because the Supreme soul present in this body is said to be the witness, permitting authority, sustainer, experiencing, and such a Great Lord is known as Paramatma. ||13-23|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 436

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 [If the soul is the part of the Lord then why does it come to this painful material world? Why does it experience pains and pleasures in the various species of life? Why does it suffer and gets attached to actions when the Lord is in it? The reasons are: 1) Without surrendering or without being obedient to the Lord and aspiring to attain His qualities, we all became ignorant and envious of Him. Thus the Lord kept us in this cage of material nature. 2) By entangling ourselves in this material nature and its attributes such as goodness, passion, ignorance and other modifications, we perform various virtuous and sinful actions due to which, the Lord provides us pleasure and pain accordingly. 3) But the Lord is so merciful that without leaving us alone He too stays within us and at times inspires us to turn towards Him. But still as we do not accept Him, we are suffering and are bound to actions. However, those who know these reasons from the perfect teacher who is full of knowledge, and practice faithfully and devotedly unto the Supreme Lord, they again return back to the Divine Abode of the Supreme Lord with His blessings. And such souls never return to this material universe.] In this way, one who knows the soul and the nature with the modes he, regardless of his positions and actions never again takes birth here. ||13-24|| [This verse is confined to those who learn clearly about the Soul, God, Nature, and its modes through a proper teacher. And even though they seem to be disregarding the boundaries of the scriptures, they are freed from all bondage of actions and thus, they get liberated from this cycle of birth and death.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 437

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 Some perceive the Lord (Paramatma) through meditation in the heart with their sharp intellect, others through the discipline of knowledge, while still others through the discipline of action. ||13-25|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 438

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 [In this material world, many people worship in various ways the Supreme Soul (Paramatma). Some try to perceive Him through meditation, some through knowledge (discussions), and some others through the performance of selfless action. Those who practice any of these three ways with faith and devotion and purity of mind see the Lord situated in their hearts. This is called as self-realization. After this realization, there is no necessity to be bound to actions or to the rules given in the scriptures. The person at such a stage will be above all these levels and thus liberated, becomes permanent and ever blissful. This is the real aim or ambition to be attained by everyone.] And other than these, there are people who, not knowing thus, listen and practice from others. And those persons able to listen only are also certainly qualified to overcome this cycle of birth and death. ||13-26|| [Other than meditation, discussion, and selfless action, the people who listen these from persons of knowledge with complete faith and try to see the Lord are also liberated from this material world. Nowadays, spiritual knowledge is generally not liked by all. Everybody has turned towards luxury and enjoyment in life. To attain such enjoyments they are wandering here and there day and night and are forgetting the Lord, and are acting like animals. However, if anybody hears about the Lord from real authorities with interest and faith, they too get liberated from this bondage. If they do not get interested in the Lord or spiritual knowledge, then it is because from ages they are bound to this material nature and experiencing again and again the birth and death cycle, they consider it as permanent and think that there is nothing beyond it. Thus due to their ignorance and lack of proper guidance they lose interest and faith in God. To regain it, the mercy and grace of the Lord and also the teachings of a perfect teacher are most essential. It will be possible only if we show real interest towards such knowledge.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 439

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 O greatest of the Bharatas! Whatever entity is born, animate or inanimate know it to be born from the union of the Kshetra (body) and the Kshetrajna (knower of the field, soul). ||13-27|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 440

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 [Anything present in the creation has been born by the union of the body and the soul or the soul with the nature. The animate or inanimate beings cannot survive without the presence of Paramatma (the Supreme soul). This union of animate and inanimate with the nature has been ever present and is only due to the Lord’s potency. The meaning for Kshetra and Kshetrajna here is in the first level of our understanding: Kshetra = body; Kshetrajna = Soul.] One who sees the imperishable Supreme soul (Paramatma) situated equally in all the perishable beings; sees only the truth. ||13-28|| [Although the Supreme lord is present as a witness in all the beings, He is in no way attached or connected to them. That means, He is uncontaminated by the modes of nature. That also means, He seems to be absent even though present. Even if the entire universe is destroyed, He remains undestroyed. This is because the universes are temporary and the Supreme Lord and His abode are ever permanent. Those who know this are the real persons of knowledge.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 441

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 Because, one who sees the Lord present equally everywhere does not destroy himself by himself, thereby he attains to the Supreme goal. ||13-29|| [One who sees the Supreme Lord present everywhere through knowledge does not degrade himself or herself by thinking only about the present body. Instead, such a person regards the self to be eternal, as it is the soul. In this way, such persons knowing about their self and about the Lord in them attain to the Supreme goal.] And one who sees all actions having performed in all ways by the nature itself and sees the soul as the non-doer sees only the truth. ||13-30|| [Nature is different. Soul is different. Nature is doer and the soul is the non- doer. As the body belongs to the nature it performs actions with the will of it. Nature is created out of the Lord’s will and the soul is situated in the nature. The soul is ever blissful but because of its connection with nature, it feels as if it is the doer. But one who realizes the self as the non-doer and the nature as the doer is truly fixed in knowledge. Such a person gains the true knowledge of the Absolute.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 442

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 When one realizes that the different state of beings is centered at one place (in the Lord) and is an expansion from that position alone, then he attains the Supreme Brahman. ||13-31|| [When one realizes that everything is a form of the Lord and the Lord has pervaded everywhere; then such a person easily attains the Supreme Brahman (Lord).] O son of Kunti! The Supreme soul being eternal, beyond the modes, and permanent, though residing in the body, does not perform action nor does it get entangled to it. ||13-32|| [Although the Supreme Lord is present in this material body made up of the material nature, He remains eternal, unattached, and beyond the modes, and thus is permanent. He is not subjected to the actions nor is bound to their results. Similarly, the soul is also permanent, beyond the modes, and thus eternal. Those who know this clearly and properly are the real persons of knowledge and are truly liberated.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 443

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 Just as the all-pervading space (sky) is not entangled to anything due to its subtle nature, similarly the soul although situated everywhere in the body does not get entangled (mixed) to it. ||13-33|| [The ether, though present everywhere is not mixed with anything similar to oil present on water. Although oil is there in water, it is not immersed or mixed by water. This is exactly how the soul always remains different from the body. It only seems to have assumed the body but it always remains different from the body.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 444

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 O Bharata! Just as the single Sun is illuminating this entire universe similarly the knower of the field (Kshetrajna, soul) is illuminating the whole field (Kshetra, bodies). ||13-34|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 445

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 In this way, one who knows the difference between the field (body) and the knower of the field (soul), with the liberation of beings from nature through the eye of wisdom, such a person attains to the Supreme goal. ||13-35|| [One should know the distinction between the body, the soul, the Supreme soul, and the nature. Anyone who has clearly understood the distinction between these has in reality become eligible to attain the Supreme goal.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 446

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-13 Here ends the thirteenth chapter of Bhagavad Gita titled KshetraKshetrajnaVibhaaga Yoga. The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 447

Chapter 14 of 18 in the Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna said: I shall now tell you that Supreme knowledge which is the best of all knowledge. Knowing which all sages have attained the highest perfection and got liberated from this material world. ||14-1|| By acquiring this knowledge and having attained into My being, such persons are not born at the time of creation nor are they destroyed (disturbed) at the time of final annihilation. ||14-2|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 448

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O Bharata! My nature that is known as the great Brahma is the source of all creatures; in that source (womb) I place the seed of all life. Then by the combination of these with the soul, all beings take birth. ||14-3|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 449

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [The threefold material nature and the souls are capable only to take birth from the Supreme Lord. Cosmic intelligence is the cause for the creation of this material universe. Therefore it is known as Great Brahman. The Supreme Lord places the seed of cosmic intelligence in the womb of nature and thus produces innumerable universes. Such a seed in the womb has all the creations in it. And the cause for that seed is only the Supreme Lord. Therefore He is called as cause for all causes.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 450

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O son of Kunti! Of all the bodies that take birth from different species of life, this Maha Brahma is the mother and I am the seed-giving father. ||14-4|| [That means the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is the father of all creations and is the cause for all causes. Everything rests in Him in the form of seed and from Him, Maha Brahma is evolved to create and develop the further creation.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 451

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O mighty armed! The three modes born out of nature namely: goodness (Sattva), passion (Rajas), and ignorance (Tamas) bind the imperishable soul in the body. ||14-5|| [The individual soul in reality is imperishable and permanent; but due to its association with the three modes of nature, it becomes subjected to bondage in the material body.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 452

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O Sinless one! Of these, the mode of goodness being uncontaminated is illuminating and pure, and thus it binds by creating attachment towards happiness and knowledge. ||14-6|| [The Supreme Lord is situated in the purest goodness form, but He is away from sinful actions. Similarly the soul as a part of the Lord is also in the mode of goodness and is away from sorrows and sins, but due to the attachment towards happiness and knowledge it gets bound to the nature.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 453

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O son of Kunti! Know the emotional mode of passion to be born from desire and attachment. It binds the soul through attachment to actions. ||14-7|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 454

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [This mode of passion is full of activities. When this mode increases in a person then that person becomes activated for the lust of material enjoyment. The thirst of the senses keeps on increasing. That person then tries to attain a companion, children, house, land, and what not. That person works hard for various activities. This material world is running only on this mode of passion. Human civilization seems to have started developing on the mode of goodness but it is now understood to be in the mode of passion and along with it the mode of ignorance has pervaded everywhere and is thus leading to destruction.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 455

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 And O Bharata! Know that the mode of ignorance which illusions all living entities to be born from the darkness. It binds the soul through madness, laziness, and drowsiness. ||14-8|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 456

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [Mode of ignorance means sleepy, laziness, forgetfulness, darkness, lack of knowledge, and such other things. This is completely opposite to the mode of goodness. Some people, in spite of being mentally or physically strong, lose their aim of life through sleep or laziness. Death is inevitable to all but still, people are accumulating wealth and other sense enjoyments even though they are not in need for them. There must be a limit, a limit to our desires. For such accumulation, everybody being unaware or ignorant of his or her soul is striving hard day and night without any proper guidance. Though somebody guides them on the spiritual path they are not in a position to hear and are not interested in them. Such a person is easily known to be guided by the mode of ignorance. Those filled with goodness or even passion try to learn the knowledge of the self are real intellectuals. Not those who earn money, accumulate houses, lands, properties, wealth, and other material things. Whatever one may acquire but have to leave them one day. When the body, which enjoys sense objects, is itself perished then what is the use of all material things. Knowing this truth one must acquire only what is essential to lead the life. And to strive for attaining knowledge of the self from a proper teacher must become the main goal in life, and for that the ignorant mode has to be completely subdued and forsaken.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 457

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O Bharata! The mode of goodness puts one to happiness, the mode of passion puts one to action, and the mode of ignorance covers the knowledge and puts one to madness. ||14-9|| [Persons with the mode of goodness have knowledge and thus engage themselves in the spiritual path to uplift themselves. Persons having mode of passion perform fruitful actions working hard to attain material objects for sense enjoyment. While the persons having the mode of ignorance do not perform anything for anyone. They are ignorant even for their own rise.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 458

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 And O Bharata! When the mode of goodness is active, it subdues the passionate and ignorant modes; when the mode of passion is active, it subdues the goodness and ignorant modes; and when the mode of ignorance is dominating, it subdues the modes of goodness and passion. ||14-10|| [When one mode increases, the other two get subdued. But for those who prefer to live the spiritual path, this mode of goodness has to be firmly practised. These modes are attained according to our own thoughts. There is a very popular saying: “I think, therefore I am.”] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 459

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 When the body, inner self, and the senses are illumined and filled by knowledge, then it has to be understood that the mode of goodness is predominant (active). ||14-11|| [That means when one hears, sees, or smells a good thing through ears, eyes, nose, mouth etc., then if these processes are purified by knowledge then the person must be known to be situated in the mode of goodness.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 460

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O best of Bharatas! When the mode of passion is predominating, then greed, activeness, performance of actions, unsteadiness of mind, and lust for sense enjoyments are all seen. ||14-12|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 461

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [A passionate person never sits for a while nor wastes time. Such a person always keeps on working constantly like ants and dogs to acquire companion, children, houses, properties, wealth, etc., though having one house, such a person is not satisfied and to make more and more houses he works hard forgetting his own self, and also not knowing that the self is temporary with this body, such a person will be illusioned and deluded by the material nature and spends the whole lifetime only for the satisfaction of the senses. Such persons are most commonly seen and they must be understood to be in the mode of passion. Nowadays, seeing the materially opulent nations, other so called developing nations are also getting spoiled by imitating them. People are striving greedily to acquire more and more money.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 462

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 O son of Kuru! When the mode of ignorance is predominating, then darkness, inactivity, madness, performing useless tasks, and illusion are all seen. ||14-13|| [Illusion, drowsiness, inactiveness, disinterestedness, useless actions, madness, and darkness are the marks of an ignorant person. Therefore no one must develop this mode of ignorance.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 463

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 When a person leaves the body (dies) during the predominance of the mode of goodness then that person goes to the heavenly planets of excellent and pure sages. ||14-14|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 464

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 When a person leaves the body (dies) during the predominance of passion then that person takes birth again in this world among those engaged in fruitful actions. And when a person leaves the body (dies) during the predominance of ignorance then that person takes birth in the species of deluded creatures (animals). ||14-15|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 465

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [Many persons think that after their death there is nothing and if there is something then let it happen and thus they say ‘whatever we do here is great’ and always keep on doing useless, nonsense actions which degrades them. Still others say that after death in a human form, there is no degradation and there is birth again in the human species. But this verse is condemning such thoughts and is proving them false. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna has clearly mentioned about the rebirth of persons who leave their body in various modes. If one does not worship God with faith then there is no guarantee for a human form once again. This is because from this gained human body one may be driven to the animal species depending upon the modes of our acquired nature and from there such a soul will have to develop stages of coming up in the species of life. If it is capable to do so, fine, otherwise it is lost forever in the darkness of births and deaths in the 84,00,000 species of life. This is the real process. Therefore by taking shelter in the mode of goodness one must try to attain the absolute goal - the goal of reaching the abode of the Supreme Lord. Even in the human form there are various degrees of births in goodness, passionate, and ignorant families. But due to an increase in goodness such a soul takes birth only in similar families and thus continues its process of self-realization. This must be clearly understood and constantly practiced.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 466

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 The fruit of good actions is said to be faultless and pure; the fruit of passionate actions is sorrowful; and the fruit of ignorant actions is foolishness. ||14-16|| [The actions performed in the mode of goodness provides purity, virtues and happiness free from all illusions. The fruit of actions performed in the mode of passion are sorrowful and painful. When we work for ourselves or for companion, children, land, house etc., there is sorrow, pain or unhappiness. There might be a little happiness, but it is not the true happiness. And the fruit of actions performed in the mode of ignorance result in delusion, foolishness, and fruitlessness. The animals always remain in ignorance and thus when one dies in ignorance such a person is sure to attain the animal species of life. A person of ignorant nature by slaying animals takes birth back in the animal species and suffers. Nowadays in this modern world the modes of passion and ignorance have increased verily and to such an extent that unhappiness, distress, murders, robberies, quarrels, wars, illicit sex, and many other useless actions are seen in large quantities in every sphere and walk of life. The Governments and politicians are also of the same mentality, due to which the whole world is being misguided in a wrong and disastrous path. This path on which we are being led is very dangerous and full of sorrows and yet we seem to be happy. This is called as illusion or Maya. To get freed from this path, politicians and Governments must provide ways for the people to move only in the path of goodness so that the real goal of life is accomplished.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 467

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 Knowledge arises from the mode of goodness, greed undoubtedly arises from the mode of passion, and madness, illusion, attachment and lack of knowledge arises from the mode of ignorance. ||14-17|| [Here knowledge means not the college or school education. These college and schools are useless places of creating illusion, attachment and ignorance. Knowledge means that education which teaches us as to how to get freed from this cycle of birth and death. Such knowledge is only attainable by the persons in the mode of goodness.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 468

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 Persons situated in the mode of goodness go to the higher planets (heavenly), those in the mode of passion stay in the middle (earthly) and those in mode of ignorance being engaged in sleep, madness, and laziness go downwards (hellish planets). ||14-18|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 469

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [As previously mentioned, people nowadays are engaged and involved in the modes of passion and ignorance predominantly. Therefore we have to try and develop the mode of goodness in large quantities, so that we may subdue the other two. Though the higher planets are gained or not, but for a person of goodness, good wisdom, mental peace, and great prosperity prevails. For a person of passion, prosperity may be attained in a little quantity or may be large but such a person will never have mental peace or even good wisdom. And for a person of ignorance, knowledge, wisdom, peace and prosperity are totally absent and sorrow prevails. Any ignorant or passionate person can strive to attain for goodness but those who do not strive to attain it cannot reach the goal of life forever.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 470

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 When the true seer perceives no other agent than the modes and also knows in reality the Supreme Lord beyond the modes, such a person then gains (access to) My Spiritual Form. ||14-19|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 471

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [Nothing beyond the modes means, the Supreme Lord has Himself created the modes, but still He is beyond the modes. The soul getting entangled in the modes of this material nature when realizes from a proper teacher about its coming here, gains the true knowledge. If not such a soul becomes helpless in the clutches of these modes. When a soul crosses the modes and sees its true form as a servant to the Lord and gains self-realization. It gets access to seeing the Spiritual form of the Lord. After leaving the body, it attains the form of the Lord but does not become one with God nor does it become God.] When the embodied soul rises above these three modes out of which the body is evolved, and getting liberated from birth, death, old age and other sorrows, such a soul attains immortality (the Supreme Lord). ||14-20|| [The three modes of nature have been already described. These are the most powerful three types of strong nets, which bind a soul due to its presence in the body. The ignorant net is the most difficult to get liberated from; the passionate net is a little tough, but the goodness net is lesser tough to get liberated from. In reality, all three nets are difficult to surpass. By cutting across these three nets and crossing over the material nature’s clutches, one will surely attain liberation and shall never again fall to these strong nets again.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 472

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 Arjuna said: What are the symptoms present in a person who is beyond these three modes and what are his behaviors of conduct? And O Lord, how does he transcend the three modes? ||14-21|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 473

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [This question of Arjuna is remarking and natural to human thinking. The material nature and its modes are already explained. After knowing these modes what needs to be known next is Arjuna’s inquisitive question. That means how to recognize a person who has crossed the three modes of nature? How does such a person live? How does such a person behave? And Arjuna also asks that how does such a person cross these modes of nature.] The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna said: O Pandava! He does not hate illumination, activity, and illusion when they are present nor does he long for them when they are absent. ||14-22|| He who, sitting like a disinterested person is not disturbed (moved) by the modes, and knowing that the modes alone act in the modes, he becomes firmly established and never degrades from that elevated position. ||14-23|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 474

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 He treats happiness and sorrow alike, resides in his own self, regards sand, stone and gold alike, is firm and views equally the praise and blame, even- minded in pleasant and the unpleasant, remains the same in honour and dishonour, and treats friends and enemies alike. He has given up all fruitful actions and responsibilities and is thus said to have risen above the modes of nature. ||14-24,25|| [One who has risen above the modes never takes the dualities explained above to the mind but remains always in the service of the Lord with the senses, mind, and intellect and thus treats everything alike. When the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord then gradually they are restrained from gaining material enjoyment. When the senses are restrained, then the modes of nature cannot bear their effects on them. And at that particular stage, the soul becomes completely freed from the clutches of material nature and thus gets liberated from the cycle of birth and death.] The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 475

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 And he who serves Me constantly with exclusive devotion rises above these three modes very easily and thus becomes qualified to attain the form of Brahman (God). ||14-26|| [This material world is progressing on the basis of these three modes of nature. These modes are extremely powerful. As the soul is a part of the Lord it also has some powers but it does not recognize them due to its bondage with the modes of material nature. However those who render every service unto the Lord with exquisite devotion and firm faith shall be certainly eligible to recognize their real form - the form of the Supreme Lord Himself. This does not mean that such a person becomes God. No. It means that the soul reaches the abode of the Lord and attaining the form of the Lord serves Him with pure devotion. Here Brahman means the Supreme Lord and none else.] And I myself am the basis of the imperishable Brahman that is the abode of immortality, eternal Dharma, and absolute (single) bliss. ||14-27|| The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 476

Aaem! nmae _agvte vasudevay Chapter-14 [Brahma here refers to the soul and is on the basic level. Paramatma on the middle stage, and the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is the absolute stage with eternal bliss. The soul being a part of the Supreme Lord is also a storehouse for the eternal bliss because it is permanent, imperishable, indestructible, ever blissful, beyond the modes of nature, and filled with all knowledge. In the Taittariya Upanishad it is expressed ‘Raso Vai Sah’ (2:7:1) which tells the absolute eternal bliss. It means, “He is filled with complete bliss”. Therefore to attain such absolute bliss, we need to constantly move on the path of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna’s service with utmost faith and devotion unto Him.] Here ends the fourteenth chapter of Bhagavad Gita titled Gunatrayavibhaaga Yoga. The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine 477

Chapter 15 of 18 in the Illustrated Bhagavad Gita – The Song Divine